Nikon
Nikon is a Japanese company specializing in optics and imaging. Its full name is Nikon Corporation ( ニコン, Kabushiki Kaisha Nikon) since 1988. It was founded in 1917 as Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (日本光学工業 ) with the merger of two Japanese optical firms with military connections. Over the next 60 years Nikon became renowed for the quality of its Nikkor optics and photographic equipment. During World War II the company expanded significantly, supplying optical equipment to the Japanese military. It was based in Tokyo, Omori at the time. Its address in 1943 was Tōkyō-to Ōmori-ku Iriarai-chō 5–345 (東京都大森区入新井町5–345). Source: , listing the Japanese camera production as of April 1943. (The source erroneously says 八新井町 for 入新井町.) After the war, the company began producing replacement lenses for the popular German rangefinder cameras of the day, and the quality of Nikkor lenses attracted the attention of many professional photographers and photojournalists desiring better results from the small 35mm format. Nikon eventually developed its own, very successful 35mm rangefinder camera. In 1959, Nikon introduced the Nikon F, an advanced mechanical single lens reflex (SLR) camera that proved to be extraordinarily durable and reliable. With the F, Nikon introduced its philosophy of high-quality, low-friction, close-tolerance mechanisms requiring less lubricant than other cameras. This workmanship had a practical side, as Nikons have accompanied more photographers to extreme environments — from the summit of Mount Everest to the depths of the Saharan Desert — than any other SLR camera. The F became an overnight sucesss with many professional and serious amateur photographers, and spawned a succession of popular Nikon 35mm film cameras, culminating with the Nikon F6. In the late 1990s, Nikon introduced digital photography with both the Coolpix line of consumer and prosumer cameras as well as DSLR cameras such as the Nikon D-series. Digital SLR http://static.flickr.com/27/101090707_f0448dfe3c_t.jpg * Nikon D1 * Nikon D1H * Nikon D1X * Nikon D2H * Nikon D2X * Nikon D2Hs * Nikon D2Xs * Nikon D3 * Nikon D40 * Nikon D40X * Nikon D50 * Nikon D60 * Nikon D70 * Nikon D70s * Nikon D80 * Nikon D90 * Nikon D100 * Nikon D200 * Nikon D300 * Nikon D700 * Nikon E2 * Nikon E2s * Nikon E2N * Nikon E2Ns * Nikon E3 * Nikon E3S See also Kodak for the various DCS models based on Nikon bodies. ''See also Fujifilm for DCS models with nikon lenses compatibilities and cameras based on nikon bodies (S2 pro and S3 Pro) '' Fixed Lens http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/143019720_6cab7992ca_t.jpg 35mm film Auto Focus SLR http://static.flickr.com/60/154237059_e74b381ce7_t.jpg * Nikon F100 * Nikon F3AF * Nikon F4 * Nikon F5 * Nikon F6 * Nikon N2020 (F501) * Nikon N4004 (F401) * Nikon N4004S (F401S) * Nikon N50 (F50) * Nikon N5005 (F401X) * Nikon N55 (F55) * Nikon N6006 (F601) * Nikon N60 (F60) * Nikon N65 (F65) * Nikon N70 (F70) * Nikon N75 (F75) * Nikon N80 (F80) * Nikon N8008 (F801) * Nikon N8008S (F801S) * Nikon N90 (F90) * Nikon N90s (F90X) Manual Focus SLR http://static.flickr.com/76/154237057_cfc4cb99bd_t.jpg * Nikkorex F / Nikkor J (1962-) * Nikomat/Nikkormat EL * Nikomat/Nikkormat ELW * Nikomat/Nikkormat FS * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT2 * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT3 * Nikomat/Nikkormat FTN * Nikon EL2 * Nikon EM * Nikon F * Nikon F2 * Nikon F3 * Nikon FA * Nikon FE * Nikon FE10 * Nikon FE2 * Nikon FG * Nikon FG-20 * Nikon FM * Nikon FM10 * Nikon FM2 * Nikon FM2N * Nikon FM2/T * Nikon FM3A * Nikon N2000 (F301) * Nikon N6000 (F601m) Leaf shutter SLR * Nikkorex 35 (1960-1962) * Nikkorex 35|2 (1962-) * Nikkorex Zoom 35 (1963-) * Nikkorex Auto 35 / Nikon Auto 35 (1964-) Rangefinder * Nikon I (1948) * Nikon M (1949) * Nikon S (1951) * Nikon S2 (1954) * Nikon SP (1957) * Nikon S3 (1958) * Nikon S4 (1959) * Nikon S3M (1960) * Nikon S3 2000 (2000) * Nikon SP 2005 (2005) Fixed Lens / Compact http://farm1.static.flickr.com/105/301236356_55ad3cc599_t.jpg Underwater * Nikonos * Calypso / Nikkor II * Nikonos II * Nikonos III * Nikonos IV-A * Nikonos V * Nikonos RS APS film SLR * Nikon Pronea S * Nikon Pronea 600i / Pronea 6i Compact * Nuvis A20 * Nuvis E10 * Nuvis mini * Nuvis S * Nuvis S 2000 * Nuvis V * Nuvis 60 * Nuvis 200 * Nuvis 300 Lenses * Nippon Kōgaku lenses before 1945 Notes Bibliography * Links In English: * Official Nikon Site * Nikon at Wikipedia, a comprehensive overview of company, history and products. * Nikonians, a large Nikon fan site. * Nikon Camera Blog, a Nikon Camera and Lens Blog * The inofficial Nikon User Forums! - English, German, French, Italian and Spanish * Pictorial History of Nikon cameras at Photography in Malaysia, including the compacts, the rangefinders, the Nikonos, the 35mm SLRs and the digital SLRs * Short history of Nikon until 1949 at the Nikon Historical Society website * Article titled "Nikon and the sponsorship of Japan's optical industry by the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1917-1945", by Jeff Alexander, published in Gateway * Nikkor Manual Focus Lens Gallery at www.mflenses.com * Nikon Catalogus and pictures of Nikon prototypes at nikon.catalogus' Flickr stream In French: * Nikon page at Collection G. Even's site * Cameras and User manuals at www.collection-appareils.fr In Images: * Flickr group Nikon Category: Japanese camera makers Category: Japanese lens makers *